


The rose at camp

by ccarkus



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 19:31:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17752103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ccarkus/pseuds/ccarkus
Summary: little drabbles about my o.c Rose in the gang camp doing as he does (being a whore and shooting guns)





	1. Campfire Story

Laughter echoed through the camp as gang members listened to each other story of origin. It was interesting hearing how they all came to be in the gang together, finding similarities between stories and a few running themes. They were more connected to each other than anyone outside of the gang could guess, they were a family especially to the ones who lost theirs or never had one to begin with.

“What about you Rose?” bill asked with a drunken slurring to his voice.

“What about me Bill?”

“Oh don’t play dumb, come on how did you end up here!”

“Now _that_ Is a story.” Dutch chimed in with.

“If Dutch finds it interesting I definitely wanna hear it.” Karen butted in.

Rose let out a sigh knowing he had no choice but to tell his story. He didn’t find his past very ground breaking or exhilarating but instead rather sad and pathetic. Who was he to deny the gang a story though, he did see them as family so why should he hide from them? Rose set down his bottle and shifted into more of a comfortable position before opening his mouth.

“Alright so when I was young-”

“Young? You just turned 20!” hosea interrupted causing Rose to roll his eyes in amusement.

“When I was _younger_ I lived in this little house with my mother, father, and little sister.”

“You have a sister?” Dutch questioned.

“Yeah but we’re six years apart so she’s not joining this gang anytime soon Dutch.”

The gang laughed and Dutch raised his hands in surrender. It was always nice to make a friendly jab at the member of camp, most if not all took it in stride and gave a jab back in retaliation and those who couldn’t take a joke usually always found themselves at the end of one. They really were a family with that dynamic a dysfunctional family but a family.

“We lived comfy for a biracial family, thing were pretty quiet growing up till my grandmother died.”

The gang quieted down as the story was obviously starting to take a turn from anything humorous.

“My grandfather took her fortune, married some white lady, stole our cut and never spoke to us again. From then on we weren’t living so comfy. I heard so many times how we wouldn’t make it through the winter and honestly? We damn near didn’t each time. Money got tight and when money got tight my parents started to fight.”

Rose sighed and gave a passing wave with his hand.

“I thought I could fix it I just needed to pull my own weight but no one wanted to pay me for nothin’ so one day I had this brilliant idea. I snuck into my mother’s room and stole one of her dresses and a few pieces of jewelry she never wore.”

“Is this your whoring origin?” Micah asked interrupting.

“You know as much as I hate you maingey lookin’ rat I can’t help but to say you’re right. I put that dress and necklaces on and I snuck out, I got paid that night _I got paid a lot._ So much I decided to keep doing it. My parents were proud of their son bringing home money and supporting the family…”

Rose shut his eyes and slightly lowered his head before continuing to speak.

“That was until they found out how he was getting the money.”

He raised his head back up with a morbid smile and laugh.

“I learned real quick what it was like to be face to face with the reaper pleading for my life ‘no no I’m too young to die!’ “ Rose let out a empty chuckle “Something broke in me that night as I laid there in my blood. It wasn’t just my bones that had broken or my skin, No something else broke in me something I can’t explain.”

He looked up to the starry sky peacefully above them all as he thought back to the day he was speaking of.

“I ran away that day, I was going to kill my parents but my sister needed them. So I just left. Whored my way from town to town then I started robbing and then… I did something real bad.”

“Real bad?” Arthur said as he raised a brow leaning a bit forward as he waited for a reply.

“I got caught and when the man stormed over and rightfully hit me I didn’t even think before I lifted my dress for my gun and bang. It was an easy crime to dictate I had a bounty on my head for weeks till I finally got caught and dragged into one of the sheriff’s cells. Later that week I was to be hung for murder, at my hanging I don’t really know what got into me but i decided then I wasn’t going to give into death so easily and I didn’t.”

Rose finally cracked a smile and his posture relaxed like the life was brought back into him.

“With my hands bound behind my back I headbutted the hangman so fuckin hard I knocked him out cold, by the time the sheriff processed what had happened I was already running down that city street! Then out of fucking nowhere this son of a bitch comes out riding on that white horse of his bending down to cut my binds and pull me up on his horse. Dutch and I rode and rode! That fucking mob followed us forever! We finally lost them in the woods and took a well deserved break, This unknown man tells me how I got the fight of a whole army, I told him I was just stubborn. He introduced himself as the all mighty Dutch Van Der Linde-”

“I did not!” Dutch exclaimed as the camp members laughed.

“Yeah his introduction was rather boring well minus the mention of his gang and saying how he could use a stubborn individual like myself. Who was I to deny him? Now look I’m the all mighty van der linde gang whore!”

Rose spread his arms out as if this was an achievement in his life while the members around the campfire cheered or laughed. Some gave him a sympathetic look but a smile as well, like two close friends telling each other they’re there for the other. A few repeated a line or two from his story, laughing and trying to act it out. A hand or few patted his back in reassurance telling him how they’re glad he’s apart of the gang. This gang and lifestyle has its ups and downs but a family is always there for each other, sometimes you just need to find the family that’s right for you.


	2. Money is tight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose has a trauma moment.

The camp was never a quiet place, someone was always talking with someone, there were clinks of bottles or huffs from the horses, footsteps all about but rarely it was loud unless everyone was celebrating the rescue of another member or a heist gone right. The gang was a family but even family fought and when money gets tight.. People fight.

“Do some goddamn work, will ya, Bill? Please! Peoples gettin’ hungry!” hosea yelled.

“What about you?” Bill retorted.

“I’ve been working, you damn fool! That’s why i’m in this state!”

Yes families fought some more than others but they were always family in the end, unless they weren’t one to begin with.

“No I want to hear you say it again! Come on say it to my fucking face!” Javier argued with Micah.

“I said with you sleeping around with  _ men _ and having yourself all dolled up you might as well be a whore with your greaser friend!” Micah replied.

Blood relation never decided a family, it decided relation but never family. Some families had no relation to each other blood wise but built a stronger bond together than with anyone who shared blood with them.

“Have some faith goddammit!”

“I have faith Dutch! I’ve had faith!”

“Then stop doubting me! All you do is doubt!”

“People are starving Dutch!”

The camp was never quiet but it was rarely loud. People were hungry and money was tight when money is tight people fight and when you can’t provide in a way that’s right to them you get hurt but when money is tight people fight when the money is tight people fight Rose shot up from his seat at the table knocking over his chair. When money gets tight people fight. He didn’t even stop to fix it before he started to walk off. When money gets tight people fight. He swerved and dodged as many people as he could as he made his way to the outskirt of camp. When money is tight people fight. The yelling was getting so much loud the violence was getting much worse. When money is tight people fight. Rose got up on his horse Ruby and rode off he rode and rode and rode until he couldn’t hear the yelling anymore. When family fights nothing ever goes right.

Ruby huffed and shook his head peacefully taking in the new location under the moonlight as his owner sat a few feet away on a rock nearby, head ducked down and hands over his ears. They were so far away from the yelling but he could still hear it, it still echoed in his head. The sound of his father snapping at everything his mother said, the sound of the door slamming when his father would leave, his mother banging on tables and yelling as she threw items around the house, threatening the dog for just doing as animals do. It was all so loud so painfully loud he couldn’t bare it he couldn’t take it the fighting would never end the fighting would never stop when money gets tight people fight and when people fight it makes them hate and when they hate no one can think straight and what they do is-

“Rose?” a voice called from behind.

A hand was placed on Rose’s shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin before looking to who was the assailant.

“Kieran?” Rose spoke brokenly he hadn’t realized till now that he was crying, cheeks tear stains and nose red and runny.

“Are you alright?” Kieran asked softly as he took a seat next to rose on the rock.

“I-” Rose sniffled and wiped his face “I’m…” he could say it Rose could say what was wrong he could say he was having issues with trauma Kieran knew his past the whole camp did he would understand but he didn’t want to share. Rose never liked sharing about his feelings he couldn’t really explain why but it just always felt bad to him.

Rose took a deep breath and steadied his breathing before looking to the night sky.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” he answered his voice slowly coming back.

“That’s ok, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Rose looked to Kieran with a pout. He didn’t want to talk about it he was glad Kieran didn’t want to push.

“We- We can just sit here for a bit if that's what you want. We don’t have to um talk.” Kieran's voice was always so quiet and nervous but he had a right to be so after what the gang did to him and all the threats he’s faced. Rose liked it though, he found it cute. There wasn’t a mean bone to Kieran he cared so much about the horses and even with the threats always tried to help the gang when he could and if they’d even take his help. Rose liked kieran maybe that’s why he rested his head on Kieran's shoulder in reply.

“Please. I just want it to be quiet for a bit.” Rose shut his eyes as he placed a hand on Kieran's back.

“Ye-Yeah we can um…” Kieran gave out a soft nervous laugh before putting a anxious arm around Rose “We can stay here as long as you like.”

Sometimes the camp wasn’t quiet and sometimes family fought but there was always someone even with the fighting to hold out a hand and bring you close. Silencing the yelling and the fighting, letting you breathe and rest maybe even letting you cry or listen to you speak if you wanted to. Blood never made a family but something like this always did.


	3. Errand Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> be careful of which cross dressing whores you rob.

It was easy to tell when someone was angry at camp they’ve all been together for so long any shift in a mood was felt by everyone. Some antagonized it while others tried to help the person out who was under the weather. Yes it was easy to tell when someone was upset especially when it was Rose riding in bloody and beaten and still his his ‘disguise’ as he’d call it.

“I think someone ran into some trouble.” Hosea spoke to Arthur.

It sure did seem that way as Rose got off his horse cursing under his breath and stomping into camp. Typically he liked to just stroll in and great the members of camp he was ‘acquainted’ with but not this time. He stormed past Kieran and Javier, didn’t say a word to Lenny as he asked what was wrong. Even when the antagonizer Micah came to mock his injuries Rose didn’t care to spare more than a second dispatching him, grabbing Micah by the collar and headbutting him letting his heavy body hit the ground before he kept walking. Rose was looking for someone and it was clear who once he spotted them.

“Arthur Morgan!” Rose shouted as he picked up his pace

Arthur let out a heavy sigh and looked to Hosea only getting a surrendered look in reply. 

“Rose McBride.” Arthur replied as he removed his cigarette from his mouth.

“Sorry Hosea but I'm taking this one.” Rose didn’t give either man much of a chance to reply before he was dragging arthur to the outskirts of camp by the front of his shirt.

“Alright alright! What is your problem Rose?”

“My problem? My fucking problem?! Look at me Arthur!”

“You rob the wrong folk?”

“No  _ they’re _ the ones who robbed the wrong fucking person!”

Arthur looked at Rose with an expression that told him to continue with his story, he knew this wasn’t a joke now but a real predicament. Arthur’s seen Rose take down any man who posed an issue to him be it in that dress of his or out of it, this was no laughing matter.

“Some fucking scumbags have a knack for robbing whores like its they’re god damn hobby!”

“Did they-?”

“No they had no clue I was a man they never do. They just saw my jewelry and made me a target.”

“Well if I find some jewelry on my ‘ventures I’ll-“

“It’s not the jewelry Arthur! I could care less about the fucking necklaces!” 

Arthur raised a brow, he’s seen Rose robbed before and he isn’t a materialistic person so what could have gotten him so riled up?

“My gun Arthur-  _ BOTH _ of my fucking guns.”

It was clear now, there was no replacing Rose’s revolvers he treated those two like they were his kids and he was damn good at using them too.

“You want me to get your guns back?”

“Not just that. I want you to gut those motherfuckers, Arthur! Bunch of fuckin’ low life stealing from girls tryin’ to scrape by!” 

Arthur nodded in amusement 

“I ain’t much of a gutting man but I’ll do my best, where these boys at?”

“Somewhere fuckin’ south of Valentine.”

“Alright I’ll get on it then.”

Arthur tossed his cigarette on the ground putting it out before whistling for his horse and climbing on but before he could leave he was interrupted by Rose’s shout.

“Bill Williamson!”

Bill had been put on camp guard duty right as Arthur was to ride off. It was easy telling why Rose was calling to him, If Arthur wouldn’t gut them he knew who would.

“Jesus Christ Rose what the fuck happened to you?”

“Arthur can tell you all about it but I need you to ride out with him and take care of some motherfuckers on my behalf.”

“I got guard duty Rose, Dutch won’t let me-“

Rose grabbed the repeater from Bill’s hands 

“I’ll take your shift. Now go cause some fuckin’ ruckus will you?”

Bill looked to Arthur but only getting a shrug in reply, there was really no fighting Rose on this one. Bill called for his horse and got on taking one last look at Rose before looking to Arthur with a shrug.

“We’ll be back with your guns Rose.”

“Don’t come back until you get them Morgan.”

Arthur rolled his eyes “Come on Bill.”

And the two rode off as Rose took guard of the camp. It was nearly nightfall when the two returned, Rose approached them both now with his face properly bandaged and in his normal attire.

“You two seem to be in one piece I take it everything went smoothly?”

“About as smooth as a shootout and robbery can be.” Stated Arthur getting off his horse

“You look better.”

“Yeah? I feel better now that I’m not bleeding all over myself. Still a bit sore though.”

“Rightfully so.” Arthur dug in his satchel to pull out Rose’s necklaces.

“Bill has your guns.”

“That I do.” Bill replied as he joined the two brandishing Rose’s distinct custom scorpion revolvers.

“Fuck!” Rose shouted with excitement as he grabbed his guns from Bill looking them over with a big smile. 

“You two actually did it. Tell me Bill you make them pigs squeal?” Rose asked as he put his revolvers in their respected holster.

“Did one better and used your guns for some payback.”

Rose let out a loud and amused laugh before looking over the two with a big smile. He glanced to his necklaces in Arthur’s hand and moved grabbing one of them tossing it to Bill.

“I’m sure you boys can find a good price of these babies.”

“You don’t want ‘em?” Arthur asked.

“These fuckin things are what got me into trouble in the first place! Keep ‘em you both deserve it.” 

Rose walked off with a wave and one more thanks to the men. The two looked at each other with a silent agreement of sorts before pocketing the jewelry, Rose wasn’t cheap on fashion these would certain fetch a high price. Maybe they should start running errands for him more often.


End file.
